May 20, 2025
The Web of Time Spotlight
In The Web of Time, far beneath the ground, a web quietly spins. The threads are keeping time, marking history. What’s done is done. Until now.
About The Web of Time
Far beneath the ground, a web quietly spins. The threads are keeping time, marking history. What’s done is done. Until now.
Protected by the gods and powering the three Great Portals of Art, Language, and Kindness, The Web of Time rearranges itself as humans change their minds, fall in love, or cause empires to rise and fall. When the Great Portals close from the world, time begins erasing itself, histories start to disappear, Earth falls into chaos, and the gods don’t know how to stop it—until Jack meets Anna.
Anna is a passionate and solitary writer who is protected by her companion, Nafusa of Libya, the cat god. When Jack, a young painter harboring a traumatic past, falls through the Great Portal of Art in Tunis, he stumbles into Anna, and his fate.
Helped and hindered by a rotating cast of deities, the two embark on a journey that connects three ancient cities in different times: Rome, Tunis, and Tripoli. They realize that it is Anna’s gift for healing words and Jack’s natural talent for drawing places as they were that can reinstate the Great Portals and restore the world’s balance, but some of the darker gods who thrive on chaos will stop at nothing to derail their quest. As time tears faster than they can heal it, Anna and Jack must come together in time to save history, and the possibility of a future.
You can purchase a copy of this book on Web of Time, Amazon and B&N.
Enter to win a $25 Ben & Jerry’s Gift Card courtesy of the author of WEB OF TIME (USA only) here (ends June 16).
About the Author
Born just outside of Rome, Flavia grew up bouncing back and forth between Italy and California and has lived between a myriad other countries, so her writing often revolves around place and identity and is usually written on a plane where she inevitably apologizes to the person sitting next to her for bumping their elbow. She is the author of the novel All the Way to Italy. Her second novel, The Web of Time, a YA grounded fantasy adventure set in Rome, Tunis, and Tripoli, will be published by Blue House Literary in May 2025.
Today, Flavia continues learning about the world while working for a humanitarian organization and getting lost in her Eternal City, writing flash fiction and non-fiction stories, and connecting with other readers, writers, and adventurers (also the armchair travel variety).
You can connect with her on her website, Facebook, X, Instagram and Goodreads.
Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post, all opinions expressed are my own.
May 19, 2025
War at the Ice Cream Store Series Spotlight
Get ready for the War at the Ice Cream Stores Series: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm and Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli.
About War at the Ice Cream Store: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm
The sequel to the award-winning War at the Ice Cream Store: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm
It’s a perfect Sunny Sunday in July—The ultimate ice cream day! But wait… uh oh… Trouble is brewing down at the Frozen Frogg Ice Cream Store! A swirly, twirly, category five twister is out of control!!
Could this be the first summer Sunday EVER without ice cream? (Say it isn’t so!) Or can the flavors and toppings whip up a plan before it’s too late?
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, B&N, BAM.
About War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli
New Collector’s Edition—Reillustrated with enhanced story and bonus content.
In the Frozen Frogg Ice Cream Store, Bully Vanilli is the most popular ice cream and self-proclaimed king of the flavors. Lonely Mustachio sits at the back of the freezer. No one ever picks him. Every night, after the store door is locked, Bully Vanilli begins his bullying and Mustachio is his favorite target. One night, Vully kicks Mustachio’s bucket. Poor Mustachio falls SPLAT on the floor, and it’s… War at the Ice Cream Store! (And there’s a song!).
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, B&N, BAM.
The Giveaway
Enter to win: author-signed WAR AT THE ICE CREAM STORE 1 (collectors edition) and WAR AT THE ICE CREAM STORE 2 plus WAR AT THE ICE CREAM STORE Activity Book for Book 1 and coloring pages for Book 2 (one winner) here. Open to USA/CAN and ends June 20th.
About the Author
Cheryl DaVeiga is an award-winning songwriter and children’s book author who loves to combine humor, rhyme, and wordplay to create stories and songs that bring on the giggles. You can find her books and animated sing-along song videos on her website for kids and kid-lovers—BiffBamBooza.com. Biff Bam Booza books have received numerous awards and high acclaim, including Mom’s Choice Gold, Purple Dragonfly, Eric Hoffer, and Literary Titan book awards, Readers’ Favorite 5-star ratings, and Kirkus Review Magazine features. Cheryl lives in Tucson, Arizona, and spends her summers in her native New Jersey.
You can connect with her on her website, Facebook, Instagram, X, Bookbub and Goodreads.
Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 28, 2025
The Girl of Many Crowns
The Girl of Many Crowns is the true story of a powerful Knight and a runaway Queen who unite to defy an empire.
The Girl of Many Crowns
The true story of a powerful Knight and a runaway Queen who unite to defy an empire.
The Kingdom of Francia – 856
Thrust into the political intrigue surrounding the throne of Francia, young Princess Judith loyally supports her father, King Charles. She strengthens his kingdom by marrying twice for political alliance.
But, when Judith refuses to marry a third time at her father’s command, King Charles imprisons her in one of his palaces.
Baldwin “Iron Arm” is a trusted knight and companion to Princess Judith’s brother, Prince Louis. Baldwin helps protect Francia and the king’s family from Vikings, rebel Lords, wars, and assassinations plots.
When Judith and Baldwin fall in love without the blessing of the king, will they be able to hold on to their faith and each other after unleashing the fury of an empire?
My Thoughts
I loved every moment of this novel. The time period is one of my personal favourites (I love historical fiction). I love learning about the individuals that lived during this time, the historical events that occurred and how these events are influenced by even the smallest of choices that change the future. This novel delivers so much – war, family conflicts, royal honour and duty and above all love and mercy.
Judith was a powerful character in this novel, despite being a female in a time period where females held so little power. She was strong willed and devoted to those that she loved. She knew from a young age (and she was young throughout the whole book!) that her role was to support the royal family and honour her Father’s wishes, even when doing so came at great harm to her own wellbeing. She has this gentle leadership shown through her kindness, compassion and understanding of those around her. She protected those charged to her care despite the repercussions to herself. You could not help but fall in love with her and her role as Queen and a leader. It was her last act of defiance (but done so out of love and faith) that made me fall in love with her character. She knew that her final marriage would be that for love and that any child born, would be born of love and happiness. After all she went through, this was something she deserved.
While Judith’s story unfolds, we are also witness to her siblings, and her Father’s struggles in such a turbulent time where trusting others can come at a great cost to life. While it could be tricky to follow along with the other characters, the author did a great job of explaining who each character was and how they connected to the story. She packed a great amount of history in this novel, without sacrificing the plot or interest in Judith’s story. The Girl of Many Crowns is a definite must read for historical fiction fans!
You can purchase a copy of this book on BookBaby, Amazon, Audible and B&N.
You can enter to win a signed copy here (US/CAN).
Rating: 5/5
About the Author
A native of San Diego, California, D. H. Morris has lived on four continents and traveled through many countries. She has four children and eleven grandchildren and currently lives in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Choral Music education and pursued graduate work in English at USU and law at the University of Utah. She is also a published playwright.
As a descendant of Judith and Baldwin, the author discovered their intriguing story while doing a genealogical project. This journey inspired her to research everything about the 9th Century – including food, politics, travel, war, education, clothing, jewelry, religion, holidays, marriage customs, and medicine. She loves talking about this remarkable time in history when the European countries we know today were being formed and fighting for their very existence.
You can connect with her on her website, Pinterest and Goodreads.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review, all opinions expressed are my own.
April 25, 2025
Baby Memory Box
This gender-neutral gift, the Baby Memory Box is a special place to record and store life’s little moments for your little bundle of joy.
About the Baby Memory Box
Treasure your baby’s early years with this keepsake memory box.
The ideal gender-neutral gift, the Baby Memory Box is a special place to record and store life’s little moments. Cherish every one of baby’s firsts with boxes for first tooth and first curl, and a cloth bag for that tiny first pair of shoes. You can write a letter to baby, record their first words and memories in the miniature memories book, and add a picture to the photo frame.
Over time, it will become a treasure of memories that you and your child will cherish for a lifetime.
- Keepsake box for baby memories: Record and preserve precious memories of your little one
- Lasting, attractive gift box contains: Read to Your Baby Every Day mini book, The Story of Us memory journal, cloth bag to store baby’s first shoes, 4 boxes for first teeth, first curl and other tiny treasures, envelope and writing paper for a letter to your baby, a place to frame a photo, plus space to store little toys, sonogram, hospital band, and more
- Beautifully decorated with embroidered artwork from Chloe Giordano
Our Thoughts
The first year of a child’s life flies by, I know everyone says it but it is incredible how quickly the time goes. Those little hands and feet quickly turn into chubby toddler hands and feet. We slowly forget little pieces of the delivery and the funny things that happened that first week at home. We try to capture as much as we can in photo, video and keepsakes but this can be a daunting task while you are carrying for a young child, yourself and anyone else in the home. New parents need something easy, organized, and well designed to capture these special moments.
For my first two kids, I made a scrapbook for one and purchased a keepsake book for the other child. What I found out was that there was not enough space to keep some keepsakes in the scrapbook (shoes, bands, etc…) so they are now in a box with other items (but no dates or stories to go along with it) and I was forgetful in recording memories for each month (in the keepsake book) as it was always so busy and hard to find time to write down stories that the book was designed for (not to mention that I could not add any keepsakes at all in this book).
The Baby Memory Box was a gorgeous and thoughtfully designed way to keep track of your little one’s milestones. There were boxes for the first mitts, first hair cut, first tooth (I have to admit I have a collection of their teeth in a plastic container in one of my drawers – I would have no idea which one was their first tooth, not to mention I have actually no idea what I would do with all these teeth, I know my boys would not want them!), and an extra box for any of those special keepsakes (hospital bands, clean newborn diaper, etc..). The box also contains a beautifully designed book to record their birth, and the journey from pregnancy to birth. There is even a booklet to write a letter to your little one! There are two small booklets to capture those first handprints and footprints as well as a small drawstring pouch for those first shoes.
The Baby Memory Box contains all items (and space!) that you need to beautifully capture your little one’s first year. The neutral colours make it a great gift for new parents to be. The box can be kept in your little one’s room and will go well with any nursery décor due to the design of the box (it will also serve as a reminder to add those memories in as the year goes by and your child outgrows those first shoes, first mitts). I love that the box will eventually double as a gift to your child when they are old enough, and what a special way to present the gift to them. The Baby Memory Box is a definite must have item on your registry or for those looking for a thoughtful gift that parents will cherish for many years to come.
You can purchase the Baby Memory Box on Chapters and learn more on Quarto.
About the Illustrator
Chloe Giordano began to sew in the last year of her illustration degree at the University of the West of England. Since graduating, she has continued to experiment with freehand embroidery, using sewing thread and hand-dyed fabrics to make her work – and the books in her bestselling Stitched Storytime series are illustrated with her hand-embroidered artwork. Her clients include Penguin, Vintage Books, Bloomsbury, Liberty, and the BFI. She lives in England.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the Baby Memory Box in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 22, 2025
I’ll Be Seeing You
From Joanne Kukanza Easley, the multi-award-winning author of Sweet Jane and Just One Look, comes I’ll Be Seeing You—a raw, gripping saga of one woman’s wild ride through five decades, fueled by ambition, derailed by booze, and haunted by the past.
About I’ll Be Seeing You
From Joanne Kukanza Easley, the multi-award-winning author of Sweet Jane and Just One Look, comes I’ll Be Seeing You—a raw, gripping saga of one woman’s wild ride through five decades, fueled by ambition, derailed by booze, and haunted by the past.
Lauren’s done with ranch life. Spotted by a modeling scout at the 1940 Fort Worth Stock Show Parade, she ditches Palo Pinto County for Manhattan’s glitz. But when her dream crashes, she drowns her sorrows in liquor and lovers. By twenty-four, she’s a widowed, divorced mess, hopping cities until Austin becomes her last stand. After a decade of chaos, she claws her way to sobriety and builds a thriving business, yet peace is still out of reach.
Then, in 1985, the past storms back: Brett, her third husband, wants to reconcile after thirty-three years apart. Reeling from old wounds, Lauren turns to Jane, her AA lifeline. The clock’s ticking—will she rewrite her story or let it burn?
You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.
You can enter to win a signed copy of this book here.
About the Author
Joanne Kukanza Easley, a retired registered nurse who worked in the cold, stark environment of operating rooms and the highly charged setting of psychiatric facilities, now resides in the Texas Hill Country. There, she crafts fiction centered on complex women of the twentieth century. Her debut novel, Sweet Jane, garnered multiple accolades, including the adult fiction prize at the Texas Author Project, and was a finalist for prestigious honors like the Sarton Award and the Eric Hoffer Award, among others. Her second book, Just One Look, was selected as a May 2022 Pulpwood Queen Book Club Pick. Her third novel, I’ll Be Seeing You, revisits characters from Sweet Jane. Her fourth novel, Higher Love, a continuation of her third, is slated for release in Spring 2025. Easley’s award-winning short stories and poetry have been featured in various anthologies.
You can connect with Joanne on her website, X, Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads.
Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.